Blueberry
by EikoKiumi
Summary: Sequel to Science Can't Explain. Grimmjow is desperate for answers that only Ichigo can give. Enemies still lurk within Karakura town and Ichigo finds himself too powerless to do anything to stop it. Will Grimmjow help or make it worse? Yaoi Grimm/Ichi
1. Chapter 1

**Pairing:** Grimm/Ichi (main) Bya/Ren (side pairing)

**Note:** This is a continuation to Science Can't Explain it starts off just as Grimmjow returns to Hueco Mundo after his fight with Kenpachi if you haven't read said fic you may find yourself lost in some of the plot but I guess if that doesn't bother you it can be read as a stand-alone. Take note that this fic takes place a few months after Aizen's defeat so not quite a year after where the manga is at but rather in between though it is AU in the sense that this whole plot is mine and not following the manga's since Grimmjow is making a comeback and all the yaoi stuff which leads me to:

**Warning:** This story contains yaoi and at one point in time lemons from the yaoi tree (not 100% sure on this quite yet I may end up not putting any). Yaoi means slash, m/m, homosexual love, boys love of the heavy kind not to be mistaken with Shounen Ai, which is the mild version of boys love. It is a rated M fic for a reason; right now mainly language as I've already explained that I am not sure whether this story will contain lemons or not but beware: if I feel pervy enough I may just add one.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Bleach if it was it would be published in Shounen Jump since it would most definitely be yaoi, otherwise why in the hellz would I have a ton of bishounen and not pair them up with each other? Sadly Bleach isn't yaoi and it isn't mine, it belongs to Tite Kubo who, if you squint your eyes and read between the lines, totally made Yumichika gay for Ikkaku but they're in the closet so they don't count. Joking aside, yeah not making money out of this, just for fun and good ol' man smexiness.

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><p>Grimmjow ran as fast as he could, trying to get away from the big shinigami he'd fought. While the fight had been entertaining it had caused too much damage on his person, he was bleeding heavily from the left shoulder and he had a deep gash on his right side among shallow and less-lethal cuts. He had been hoping to meet Ichigo in Soul Society, hoping to finally be able to confront the dumb orange haired boy but no such luck. Instead he had gotten in a one-on-one fight with the shinigami that had killed Nnoitra. It was no wonder he had managed such a feat, the man was made of pure strength such that he had a hard time cutting the man.<p>

He had hoped to have found Nel as well, her idiot fraccion had come looking for him when he had returned last time to tell him that they had not seen her for a while. It had not been until he found a trace of her that he knew she had followed him in hopes of seeing Ichigo as well. He only hoped the freak shinigami that had come before had not obtained her, who knew what that man was capable of doing to her. In the end he had gone back with the two fraccion whom he lost soon after and had yet to return, he wasn't too worried about their welfare though, apparently they weren't too scared of the scientist shinigami having met him before and were hoping to find their two friends there as well.

He sulked in a corner, nursing his wounds and seething in anger by his almost defeat. He had gotten what he wanted, the shinigami's attention, but the only shinigami he had wanted to deal with was Ichigo. He had hoped the boy would have come by himself in his usual attempt at being a lone hero but instead he had gotten the attention of those accursed shinigami that he had wanted nothing to do with.

It was not until a few hours later that he noticed a garganta opening and he stealthily made his way towards it barely recognizing the reiatsu that came from within the opening. He crouched behind a piece of a fallen tower keeping himself hidden in the rubble that littered what was once their home. He saw the old Neliel, the one who would stand proud among the Espada with her rank clearly marked in her back by a large 3, walk into Hueco Mundo with her two idiots happily chatting. The only thing that set him off and made the hairs on the back of his neck stand was the fact that she was wearing shinigami robes that managed to hide most of her curves with the exception of her enormous bossom.

He sonido-ed rigth infront of her causing her to stop abruptly and stare at him with her wide eyes before smiling and hugging him.

"Yay! You're okay Grimm-kun. I smelled a trail of blood back in Soul Society and knew it was you." She kept a tight hold on him stealing his ability to breath. He muffled out a response and pushed hard against her trying to make her let go, she loosened her hold letting him slip away from her.

"I'm fine," he coughed regaining his breath the wounds were still bleeding soaking his ragged uniform and dying it a dark red. "Though I could use a change of clothes. Speaking of which; why in the hell are you wearing shinigami robes?"

"Oh, these? Nemu-chan gave them to me because my green outfit would attract too much attention." She said twirling around to show him her outfit completely.

"You look horrible in them, take them off. You're an Espada, not a trashy shinigami... great now I'm talking like Ulquiorra." Grimmjow growled sitting down in one of the crumbled remains of Las Noches. Even if Ulquiorra had been annoying as hell and he had wanted nothing more than kill the little bat he did kind off wished he was still alive. At least the place would seem less empty, now that the rest of the arrancars had left after being freed from their servitude to Aizen. They had left as they knew they no longer had an obligation to remain, in what was once the impressive fortress of Las Noches, once their leader was defeated.

Some of them had taken matters into their own hands and thrown a small scale vengance war against Karakura but they had easily been defeated by the Vizoreds and others were too gracious in defeat (Grimmjow called them pussies) and had taken their defeat and left Las Noches to make their new home elsewhere.

"But I like them, besides they remind me of Itsygo. By the way, I know where he's at." She said pouting slightly. Grimmjow crooked his face interested in news about the orange-haired shinigami.

"Well? Where is the little shit?"

"Mayurin and Ken-chan told me he was in the real world." Nel said simply as if Grimmjow should have known that all along.

"I already went there to search for him but I didn't find any trace of him at all." He said exasperated with a frustrated growl getting up to pace around trying to work out some of his anger off. "Those shinigami fooled you Nel!"

"Nope, he's there it's just that we can't sense him anymore becasue he's not a shinigami anymore."

Blue hair wipped at his face as he turned sharply to look at his green haired companion. "What?"

"Like you heard, he lost his shinigami powers when he fought Aizen-sama."

"You have got to be kidding me!" He yelled out frustrated raking his fingers through his blue hair. "I have to see this for myself, and see if what the shinigami have told you is true."

"Yay!" Neliel clapped her hands happy at the prospect of going to see Ichigo again but she made no move to follow Grimmjow as the man limped towards a clearer area to open a garganta clearly ignoring his injuries even though he was beginning to limp heavily from a damaged foot. "We should wait until you're better Grimm. You're really injured and you saw what those vizored did to the other arrancars. You need to be able to defend yourself if we are to go see Ichigo."

Grimmjow looked down, his once pristine white hakama was mostly red now, his top had long since been lost so he had replaced it with someone else's he had found among the rubble but it too was beyond repair having been ragged and bloodied with the shinigami Captain's fight. With a sickened grunt he ripped it off and threw it as far away as he could with his uninjured arm. "Fine, but as soon as I'm healed again we set off."

"Great!"

It had taken a while for Kurosaki Ichigo to re-adapt to his new reiatsu-free body, while some things had gotten better like the lack of annoying ghost following him around it also bothered him that he could no longer hunt hollows like the rest of the gang could. Little by little he noticed that he was slowly withdrawing from them, he knew not whether it was because it pained him to see them go without him or anger at having failed to keep his shinigami powers.

In the end there was nothing left for him to do but resign himself and deal with the consequences of his actions. He had made his choice, now he had to live with it.

He kept having dreams at night, mostly about the old days specially the fights he'd had over his short time as a shinigami. He missed Rukia and Renji though he would never admit it to the red head that and even missed Ikkaku, Yumichika and dare he say it Toushiro. If any of his friends asked him how he was doing he would tell them that he was doing great but inside he knew he was having trouble adjusting to a "normal" life. War had changed him too much and now his body and soul were unwilling to change back to the way things were.

It was then that he found himself standing outside Urahara shōten hidden behind an umbrella as the rain poured from the sky. He had managed to outsmart Inoue into telling him what had kept them so busy the past few days and with a much regretted diner invitation later she had finally revealed some of the past day's events.

Apparently there had been a number of Arrancar attacks after the sealing of Aizen. Low-leveled arrancars, weak enough to not be too much of a threat but pesky and persistent enough to cause everyone to be on alert. Sado, Ishida along with the Vizoreds had managed to keep them under control and had managed to kill the majority of them. There were only a few left that had been stronger than the rest and had banded together and their attacks were planned and executed with perfection making them more dangerous than the rest.

They had the ability to conceal completely their reiatsu or were using some kind of device to shield themselves since the Vizoreds and Urahara kept failing at locating them. The only way they knew they were still there where the increase of hollow activity and the stray soul that was killed here and there, never in a spot specific enough though to give their location away.

He had thanked Inoue and tried to ease her guilt once she'd realize the harm that she'd done as Ichigo stormed out of Inoue's house and towards Urahara's store intent on demanding more information about the arrancars and ways he could help fix the problem. Which was why he now found himself standing outside of the closed doors of Urahara Shoten unsure of how to proceed.

He was fuming, going through his head all the possible arrancars he came across that could have gotten away and were now endangering his town all because of Aizen. He cursed the man, even from his cell deep in Sereitei's prison he was still managing to mess with him and his friends. He knew that in his present state he could not be of much help and that only frustrated him more ―causing his anger towards Aizen and himself to rise.

So deep in thought he was that he failed to realize he was being watched from the rooftops.

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><p>I apologize to all of those who've been waiting for this story for a while. I've been working on another KenpachiMayuri story and it stole my attention from this one not to mention that I'm not really sure where I'm even going with this story just yet, the plot hasn't settle in my head it keeps changing.

I'll shut up now since I keep rambling on. Just leave me a review telling me what you think and keep in mind that constructive criticism is always welcomed but the flames of your hate shall be used to cook more yaoi plot ideas so don't even try.


	2. Chapter 2

Wow I am so evil, it took forever to finish this chapter and actually put it up here. I'm sorry! I've been so busy lately with my new job and I have no free time to write this story only on Sundays so this story is going to move a little slowly.

Anyway, on with the story. Thank you all who've reviewed you've made me so happy!

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><p>It was obvious that with his luck Urahara would not be there and sure enough the door was locked —a sign posted in it informing him of the vacation time the old hat-and-clogs had finally graced on his poor employees and himself. The hair on the back of Ichigo's neck prickled as he tensed in front of Urahara's shop, he could feel eyes on him but he couldn't tell from where.<p>

He groaned in frustration pretending to be oblivious to his stalker's presence. He turned around lifting the umbrella just enough for him to see a sliver of the roof on the adjoining buildings. The rain was beginning to ease up and the sky was once again gaining it's lost sun light.

He could not make out anything just a slight disturbance in the air. He cursed under his breath, he was completely unarmed except for a small pocket knife he kept hidden —now held in his free hand. He was aware of the uselessness it would prove if the presence (he was still not sure whether it was even hostile towards him) chose to attack him.

It was clear that said creature was trailing him rather than keeping an eye on Urahara's shop which he found unusual. His face was hidden by his hoodie and his lack of reiatsu should have been enough to prevent his follower from identifying him successfully. Then again he did just try to go into the shop of a well known ex-shinigami.

"Fuck," the instant the rain ceased he closed the umbrella and broke into a run. He wasn't going back home, he wouldn't put his sisters in danger since he knew his father was out for the day to restock the clinic. He made his way over to Chad's place hoping that his best friend would be able to deal with his tail who was keeping up with him jumping from rooftop to rooftop. The mere thought of putting his friend in danger by asking for his help was making bile rise in his throat and feel completely weak and helpless.

Anger made his stop in his tracks, three blocks from Chad's home. He turned and felt the tremor of the creature as it landed in the pavement in front of him cracking it in some places. The blurred air only gave him the indication that it was of a quite formidable size but not necesarily that it was a hollow or an arrancar, hell for all he knew it could be a shinigami too, a buffed giant of a shinigami... like a Komamura on steroids.

"Stop following me or better yet show yourself so that I may kick you ass!" Ichigo took his pocketknife, holding it tight in anticipation. Even if he no longer was a shinigami and this fight would probably end up killing him —couldn't help but feel excited and relish in the rush of adrenaline now coursing through his veins.

He knew it was probably the stupidest thing he had done so far, to taunt a creature he couldn't really see and much less harm but he was fed up with his situation. He needed to feel like he could take care of himself again and not fear for his safety when in the presence of a mere hollow.

He got ready to fend off his pursuer when a crash off to the side of the street informed him that the creature had just crashed directly into the wall opposite him. He stared dumbly at the crater on the wall, unable to comprehend what just happened. He felt the ground vibrate and the disturbance in the air increase as he stood rooted to the spot.

"Fucking idiot!" Grimmjow shouted as he stared down at the orange haired teen that was the current vain of his existence. The teen had been running from one of the arrancars that had hauled up in the real world seeking vengeance when said teenage idiot had decided that fighting it blindly sounded so much better.

He had jumped in and intercepted the arrancar as it was about to pounce sending it crashing on the opposite wall. Grimmjow cursed as he clawed on every piece of available flesh the arrancar presented him with sending droplets of blood flying everywhere. He didn't know what had made him jump in and save his enemy from a clear death, he convinced himself that it was because he wanted to be the one to kill him. After he gets his answer that is.

The arrancar had been one of the weak ones that used to serve Aizen-sama blindly and obsessively loyal which Grimmjow thought was mere kiss-ass attitude in fear of being annihilated by the bastard. The giant of an arrancar had no chance against Grimmjow as the latter used him as a scratching post in which to pour out all his frustrations.

He attempted to put up a fight and tried fiercely to throw Grimmjow and managed it for a second by sending a cero towards the bluenette's face that was easily dodged. He managed to crawl to the middle of the road when Grimmjow came back in all his pissed off glory and pinned him forcefully into the ground cracking the pavement under him.

The arrancar, his eyes wide in fear as he saw his end coming, pleaded with him and begged for mercy but Grimmjow was too blood-thirsty to let him go. Soon enough his pleads where replaced with blood-filled gurgles then silence as Grimmjow used his overgrown claws of his resurrected form to slash his throat.

Grimmjow got up slowly almost as if expecting the now slowly disintegrating arrancar to get up and resume the lame fight it had put up. Blood dripped from his hands hitting the pavement as in slow motion. The streets were thankfully still empty —citizens of Karakura not daring to leave their comfortable homes in chances of getting caught in the rain's imminent return much less to venture into the lower sectors of the city where they now stood.

He turned around slowly and his breath caught as he saw Ichigo who was staring at the cracked pavement with surprise. Now that he had him in front of him, Grimmjow was happy he could not be seen by the orange haired boy as he found himself speechless, unable to voice out all the frustrating conundrums the boy had caused him. Thankfully he didn't have to since Ichigo couldn't see him.

He took this chance to see him clearly as if for the first time, usually he had been after the challenge of the fight and the fact that he had been interrupted during his fights with him had only serve to anger him more against the shinigami and to want to hurt him all the more even though the boy had not really done him any wrong. Now though, as he stood there no longer in need to obey some power-hungry bastard and under the light of the dying sun he realized that what he saw did not make him angry.

After their final fight and his defeat, Grimmjow had been angry and his ego completely crushed to smithereens. He had thought that standing in front of the teen shinigami would help repair his damaged ego and kicking his ass once and for all would finally fulfill the frustration that boiled within him.

But as he stood now, seeing the boy that had eyes aged with the experience of war and bloodshed but still stood tall and brave, he could not bring himself to fight him. He tensed as Ichigo blinked and began to look around in a vain attempt to see his savior.

Grimmjow made his way slowly to him watching as the boy turned a full 360 in the middle of the deserted road. He stopped just a foot away from him and saw how the boy stopped, his eyes sharp and hands fisted by his sides as if he knew how close Grimmjow now stood.

"Rukia?" Ichigo called out softly and hesitantly. Anger boiled whithin Grimmjow at hearing a name that was not his, but then again, Ichigo must think him dead. "Renji? Is that you?"

"No," Grimmjow said, knowing Ichigo would not hear him but saying it anyway. He felt Neliel's presence nearing their location and he felt a sudden apprehension towards her. He didn't wanted her to see Ichigo, her friend and his... enemy?

Could Ichigo really be called that? Ichigo had been Aizen's enemy, not his. It was true that he had kept going after Ichigo and had insulted and attacked the boy in any possible way he could but even then it had been for the sake of the fight. He had wanted to fight the boy Aizen had taken such an interest of and which clearly had a hero complex that made him think he had to fight each and every single bad guy he encountered.

Was he a bad guy?

Yes, yes he was. He had killed for fun, had relished the feel of blood running through his hands. He loved to feel the power surging within him as he tore his enemies to pieces. He was an arrancar, he used to be a hollow. Hollows had no heart. And those who had no heart were bad guys. Right?

So that beating he felt in his chest was not his heart. He was dead after all, and an arrancar.

And a bad guy, right?

Had he served Aizen because he was a bad guy and had wanted a chance to do evil or because he had been searching for a home? After all, the life of a hollow was a lonely one, specially for the stronger ones —just ask Starrk. Oh never mind, he's dead... they all are except for him, Nel and her crew.

Grimmjow no longer had a home anymore.

The beating of his heart quickened this time painfully so.

Did that mean that if he chose to attack Ichigo now it would be because he was a bad guy or because he was a man resentful towards the one who left him homeless? He knew, however, that he was not going to attack him. Bad guy or not he liked it when his fights were fair and beating the shit out of the boy while the latter can't see him and is not even a shinigami anymore could hardly be called fair.

Even more so now that he wasn't even sure whether he had intended to fight the boy all along. He had wanted answers, that's all, to appease his whirling mind. He had thought a fight would have been enough but now he wasn't too sure.

"There you are!" The girly voice behind him signaled Nel's arrival. "You found him!"

With happiness she squealed and ran towards Ichigo, she inadvertly pushed past Grimmjow to hug him causing the blue-haired arrancar to growl in annoyance... or jealousy. He wasn't sure anymore.

"Ah!" Ichigo struggled as he felt himself wrapped by strong arms all words coming after muffled by the voluptuous bosom of the green-haired arrancar.

"You're suffocating him," Grimmjow said lowly trying to sound uncaring but the slight vibration of his throat telling him he was growling still.

Nel released Ichigo who immediately backed off coughing slightly. "Okay, that was definitely not Rukia or Renji."

"I wish he could see us," Nel pouted looking at the boy as he panted.

"Nel?" Ichigo said a smile curling in his lips. "That's you isn't it. Can't really confuse your hugs with anyone else. You saved my skin again. Thanks."

Grimmjow's growl returned full force. He had been the one to save him, he should have been the one being thanked. He should kick Ichigo's ass just for that.

"Oops," Nel said turning to see Grimmjow with innocent eyes. "Once we get gigai's from the shinigami Aizen-sama used to have under surveillance we can tell him the truth Grimm-kun. Don't worry, you two will be friends in no time."

"Shut up, who said I wanted to be his friend?" Grimmjow asked hair bristling. "He's our enemy Nel. Even if he's not a shinigami anymore he killed our comrades."

"He did what he had to do to bring peace to his home. Just like how we served Aizen because he had given us one."

So that was it then, he had served Aizen because he had wanted a home and not because he was a bad guy. The pounding in his chest eased up a little letting him relax for a second before it picked up again as he sensed two of Ichigo's friend's reiatsu nearing, surely aware of their reiatsu and the fight that had ensued shortly before.

He rolled his neck easing some of the tension off before turning his back on the human and walked away. He jumped onto the rooftops and sped off towards the old shop Nel had told him about, aware of Nel's eyes on him as she ran besides him.

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><p>Please forgive my grammar mistakes I've rushed it and didn't have time to triple check it to make sure it was understandable for you my readers.<p>

Good? Bad? Super bad? Let me know by leaving me a review or comment. Arigatou!


	3. Chapter 3

**Well would you look at that! I'm still alive! Hehehe so sorry for taking so long to put this new chapter and sorry that it's really short. I actually wrote this quite some time ago and I just haven't gotten the time (and I'm lazy when I do have it) to upload it and all. Forgive me for any grammar mistakes and the lateness.**

** Anyway, I have a new work schedule thankfully and I'll probably have more time to write than I used to but even if I don't I'll give it my all to finish this story since I don't like to leave things unfinished. I lost some of the plot that I had for this story but surely once I start writing regularly again it will all come back to me. I have another story that I also abandoned but I'm reviving once again but I'm not sure if I should post it until I'm finished with this one or if I should do it now to pressure myself to hurry the heck up and write faster. What do you guys think I should do?**

** Anyway on with the story and once again sorry!**

"Nel?" Ichigo looked around as if hoping to catch a glimpse of her green haired friend. "You still there?"

"Ichigo!" A yell resounded through the empty street making Ichigo jump in surprise and turn.

"Ishida? Chad? What are you guys doing here?" The two new arrivals were running towards him looking around wildly at the crater on the pavement the last of the arrancar long dissolved.

"What do you mean what are we doing here? What the hell happened here?" Ishida said angrily pointing at the messed up street. "We could feel the arrancars' reiatsu from a mile away! How did you manage to fight off Grimmjow?"

"Grimmjow?" Ichigo asked confused. "Grimmjow is dead. An arrancar was following me and I think Nel dealt with it, she hugged me and I could feel she was in her full-figured form."

"In her... never mind. Look I now what I sensed and Grimmjow was definitely here with the other arrancar, I didn't feel Nel-chan until much later once the arrancar died." Ishida said with a receding blush then he added with wonder. "I think Grimmjow was the one who saved you."

Ichigo was stunned, the blue haired arrancar had been a nightmare to him, constantly wanting to fight him. He reminded him of Kenpachi all one-minded towards battle and nothing else, though he supposed the big captain was not all blood-thirst since he did take care of Yachiru but that didn't mean that Grimmjow would be capable of caring for the sake of others, specially his. His number one enemy who took him out... well almost.

"Grimmjow? Save me?" Ichigo said clearly incredulously. "I almost killed him, why would he ever save me? He would most likely try to kill me than help me."

"Then just exactly how would you explain what just happened then?" Ishida countered adjusting his glasses.

"This is all too confusing, let's get out of here before the cops show up. It's not like the fight was completely quiet." Sado saved Ichigo from answering and the faint sounds of a police siren was enough to send the three teens running in the direction of Sado's apartment, being the closest refuge they had.

Ichigo could not even begin to fathom why Grimmjow would ever save him. The arrancar had always been so aggressive towards him, until the very end of their fight. As they got closer to Chad's house fear began to sit in, he began to realize just how much in danger he had been and how stupid he had acted by stopping and trying to handle the arrancar that was following him by himself. If it had not been for Grimmjow he would have been dead in seconds, but still it was so alien the thought of the panther king as his savior.

They arrived at the apartment in perfect silence not even the door creaked, the three of them lost in their own thoughts. The sat in Chad's old sofa the old thing protesting at the weight but not collapsing.

"So..." Ishida said in the end. "Why do you think that Grimmjow arrancar and Neliel are back?"

"You don't think he'll start attacking Ichigo again do you?" Chad asked his voice lightly laced with concern.

"No, he would have done it already if he was after Ichigo." Ishida answered adjusting his glasses like he always did when thinking.

"Nope, he may still be after me." Ichigo reasoned, convinced. "He would have wanted me to be at full strength to attack me and if that other arrancar had hurt me he would have not considered our fight fair. Like he did last time."

"Yeah, but. I don't know it just didn't seem like it was like that this time. Was it?"

"What do you mean?"

"After the fight was over his reiatsu seemed a bit disturbed but no anger came from it, except a little in the end, but it wasn't directed towards you I think, because it seemed to lash out towards Nel."

"Nel? Why? All she did was hug me... I think. I hate not being able to see them like I used to."

"This is a strange thought but what if Grimmjow no longer wants to kill Ichigo since Aizen has lost the war." Chad said avoiding eye contact with his two friends. "What if he wants to find a new place to belong to. A new family so to speak."

"..."

"A family? With me? His number one enemy? Fat chance!"

"..."

"You agree with him don't you?" Ichigo turned incredulously towards Ishida who looked mildly uncomfortable.

"Well... I don't know. We don't know what his reasons are for returning but he did not kill you so I guess you should be grateful for that." Ishida stood up with Ichigo at his heels still looking dumbstruck. "It doesn't matter much right now, they are gone. They left in the direction of Urahara's. If he means trouble I'm sure Urahara will deal with him."

"Yeah right, he would most likely try to sell him the most expensive useless shit he owns..."

"Are you sure it's safe?" Grimmjow smelled the front door of Urahara's Shoten.

"Yep," Neliel moved him aside and tried to open the door. It was locked.

"The sign here says they're gone."

"Mayurin told me he likes to play mean tricks on Ichigo, he's likely hiding inside avoiding him."

"What do you know, I already like the guy." Grimmjow pushed the door aside breaking it off his hinges and letting it fall uselessly on the dirt. Inside the shop was dark and still, the candy stacked neatly in rows ready to entice a nonexistent clientele.

With silent steps he went inside sniffing for any suspicious smells but finding non but the smell year-old chocolate and gumballs. "Business not so good I see."

"Unfortunately, no." A voice said from a dark corner startling the arrancar intruders. Grimmjow reached for his zanpaktou gripping the handle tightly but not drawing it.

"Urahara?"

"That would be me yes." The man came into the light porting blond hair and a five o'clock shadow and a kimono with a robe that resembled a shinigami Captain's robe. "I have to wonder why two arrancars would choose to visit me off all people. Is it to avenge your old master?"

Grimmjow growled at the jab. "I have no master! Never did!"

"Calm down Grimmjow," Nel said getting in between them. "Hi, I'm Neliel Tu Ordeshvank. I'm a friend of Ichigo's but I'm sure you already know that. Scientists have a way of knowing such petty details, at least Mayurin did."

"Mayurin?" The old shop-keeper turned his keen gaze on her. "You met Kurotsuchi Mayuri? And you still live? I'm impressed."

"He didn't hurt me," She defended the crazy scientist. "He even help me with my old injury. He told me that for the right price I could get a gigai from you."

"Did he now?" A sneaky smile worming his way into his features. "Did he tell you just how much?"

"No."

"Excellent, you know my services are not cheap but my gigai are top quality." He paused, "However, it may be inadvisable for me to sell him one. I'm a friend of Isshin and I would hate to be the one to sell his son's archenemy a meat suit."

"We'll pay double."

"Deal."

Thankfully Mayuri had given her enough money to pay for Urahara's sky-high prices otherwise Nel knew she would have never been able to get the gigais. Well, she could have called Mayuri with the phone Nemu had given her and asked him if he could finish the gigai he had attempted to build for her but he doubted he would agree to make one for Grimmjow.

Grimmjow kept poking himself in the cheek and feeling his chest, testing out his body's sensitivity and finding it to his liking.

"Not bad," he muttered grudgingly as the ex-shinigami smirked behind his trademark fan. "I find more surprising still how you manage to keep any customers with these prices."

"I sell quality goods," the laugh evident in his voice. "I'll even give you a three weeks guarantee. See, I'm generous."

"Bullshit! You're worse than Szayel!" The blue-haired arrancar complained immediately regretting mentioning his old colleague's name. Szayel had never been his friend, but he would have been so useful right now. The loneliness he felt abated for the moment by Nel's warm and happy presence.

"I look just like me!" She twirled around in front of the mirror wearing dark blue jeans and a green v-neck blouse.

"... yeah well that's the point of a gigai." Urahara said with an uncomfortable chuckle while her blue-haired companion rolled his eyes.

"Come on Nel," Grimmjow said grabbing his companion's hand and guiding her to the door. "We don't have any reason to linger here."

"Bye, bye. Do come back anytime I have tons of other cool things at reasonable prices!" Urahara waved them away with his fan and his shameless grin back on. "Have a nice day!"

"Pfft, reasonable price my ass!" Grimmjow said darkly dragging Nel behind him. "Where are we now? It's not like we have a place to stay here and it's not necessarily safe either."

"I didn't really thought of that." Nel said tilting her head as in thought. "Surely there must be someplace we can stay... Hey! Ichii can see us now! Let's go see him and ask him if we can stay with him?"

"Yeah... I doubt he'll want me anywhere near him, I did try to kill him after all." Grimmjow said through gritted teeth. "Besides I don't want to see the boy right now."

"Why? You saved him, and as long as you don't attack him I'm pretty sure he'll let you stay. Besides we came for that purpose alone... didn't we?"

"No," he said sounding unsure even to his own ears. He looked around seeing the empty building lots that were closed down. He pointed at an old apartment building that looked ready to fall down. "There's our shelter."

"It's doesn't look very safe."

"Nothing we aren't used to." He muttered making his way towards the decrepit building easily braking the chain holding the door closed and entering it.

The smell of mold was overwhelming and the wood creaked like it would give any minute. In some places the hardwood floors had become soft due to so much water it had been exposed to due to a burst pipe that had flooded the downstairs area.

After jumping a few missing steps and a caved-in hallway they finally made it to a clear hallway lined with doors and cobwebs, they chose the first door they could open and after venting the place and finding old blankets and sheets in a closet they made themselves home.

"We can't stay here forever Grimmjow." Nel said as she laid down on the blanket, her face illuminated by the full moon shining outside the window. "I want to see Ichii and talk to him, he's my friend and it's obvious that there are arrancars still after him. He'll be in trouble."

"So?"

"Grimm..."

"Fine, we'll go see him tomorrow." Grimmjow punched his makeshift pillow sulkily. "After I confront him tomorrow, I'll have no reason to stay here anymore and I'll go find the others."

"You'll go with the enemy?" Nel looked at him incredulously.

"That's where you want to go isn't? To Ichigo?" Grimmjow looked at her seriously his jawbone no longer present in his gigai form so she could see his face fully.

"I meant the arrancars," Nel said quietly.

"They are not our enemies Nel, Ichigo is or did you forget our fight so easily?"

"No, but you can't seriously think of going to them. They want nothing but revenge over a master who would throw us away as soon as we became useless." Nel looked down sadly remembering all the arrancars that were killed once they served their purpose. "They are not our friends Grimm, they never were but Ichigo though, he helped me, took care of me even though he didn't know me. He is more a friend to me than those arrancars and if they threaten him, I will kill them."

"Ichigo will welcome you back with open arms Nel, but I will most likely be thrown out and shunned by him as his little gang, and I'm not in the mood to deal with that." Grimmjow turned around in his blanket giving his back to Nel and effectively ending the conversation.

"Ichigo has a big heart Grimm," Nel said softly laying her head back down and curling up on her blanket. "And he knows how to forgive and forget. Maybe you should try to do so as well, perhaps that's why you want to ask him all those things, for closure."

Silence met her last words as the night slowly engulfed them in darkness.


	4. Chapter 4

**Yay! I wrote another chapter! Frankly I surprised myself since I didn't really remember that well where this story was going. Thankfully today I was attacked by plot bunnies and I wrote it all down.**

**I wrote this today, that is the same day I'm publishing it so if there are grammar mistakes I apologize, I reread it several times but I always find something I missed before.**

**Must I repeat myself like in all other chapters? I'll do it just in case. Bleach does not belong to me it belongs to Tite Kubo, if it were it'd be a yaoi. A steamy one. Rated "M" right now for swearing.  
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><p>Nel was beginning to grow desperate, not only had she left her precious companions behind she had not managed to see Ichigo at all since the fight. She was going to have to go get them and bring them along; she feared she would loose them to a mean hollow or loose arrancar.<p>

Grimmjow was sulky and in a bad mood, he had already managed to pick a fight with about a dozen different men on the street and had no inclination to stop anytime soon. She didn't want to leave him behind but things weren't looking too good here at the moment.

Ever since the fight Grimmjow has evaded going anywhere near Ichigo's home. They could tell where it was by the reiatsu similar to his that could only be his father, whom they managed to catch a glimpse of as he had been walking near Urahara's shop.

Arrancars still seemed to be loose in Karakura, but it seemed not all of them worked for the same team. There was definitely one team set up permanently in Karakura and Nel had made it her mission to find their hideout with a reluctant Grimmjow providing backup.

However, the two of them were not enough to cover so much ground. So she soon found herself gazing at the open garganta on her way back to Hueco Mundo to fetch her dear brothers and any help she could find.

"I don't see the point in going back too." Grimmjow drawled sitting in the cushion he had stolen in the dirty floor of "their" apartment. "Your idiots don't like me that much and I don't like them. Besides, there aren't that many arrancars left alive, much less any that will help you keep Ichigo safe."

"I need to try Grimm," Nel said stepping lightly onto the garganta. "Ichigo is my friend. Besides, if you helped him then why would anyone else refuse to help him?"

"I did not help him!"

"Yes you did," she said poker faced.

"Nope." He crossed his arms stubbornly.

"I'm pretty sure you did."

"I just needed answers that's all."

"So why don't you go ask him them?" Nel crossed her arms as well.

"His stupid friends will just attack me!"

"So? You'll probably enjoy tearing them apart."

"But Ichigo will get mad."

"You're not his friend so why does it matter? All you need are answers after all."

Grimmjow did not answer. He stared at the wall, clearly conflicted by something but Nel felt it was not time to pressure him. He would mend his ways little by little on his own. He just needed good friends who could help guide him and she was sure Ichigo would be one of them.

'All in due time,' she thought as she left without further discussion.

Grimmjow was having a bad day; in fact he was having a bad week. It all started ever since he stood in front of Ichigo and his brain decided to turn on his conscience and the useless hormones that create "feelings" and not the good kind either.

He was disgusted with himself.

He was feeling guilty, there he said it… He did not regret attacking Ichigo in the past, but he felt guilty for some unknown reason. He had only been doing what he was ordered to do.

Okay maybe not "ordered" but implied right? He was made for ass-kicking so obviously Aizen had no other reason to allow him to go to Karakura other than to fight the orange-haired idiot.

He had opted to evade him like the plague until he managed to get a hold of himself again. Truth be told, he wasn't sure what to ask Ichigo anymore. It felt like a pretty dumb idea now that he thought about it.

Ichigo clearly had a hero complex so the fact that he prevented Nnoitra from killing him was just him being the hero again. It's like Nel said; they weren't friends.

He hated the time he spent away from Nel, not because he would miss her but because her annoying presence and never ending chatter about her favorite gay scientist and his pervy daughter (she had been smart enough not to speak of the tall captain that had _almost_ kicked his ass, which obviously would not have happened if he had been fully fed) had drowned out the current thoughts that had been plaguing him recently.

Now in the silent room they shared that no longer smelled as musty but of the scraps of food left from the meal they had managed to obtain, his annoying brain once again managed to go into thought overdrive.

He got up and moved his cushion closer to the window where the afternoon sun hit in just the right angle and heat for a nap. He laid face down as comfortably as he could almost purring from the feeling of the sun in his back and closed his eyes. Sleep would not come to him. A part of him already knew it wouldn't, since it would not be the first time in this very crappy week.

He kept reliving the fight he had had with the arrancar and the pleasure he had felt destroying him. However, he was no longer sure where the pleasure was originating from; the bloodshed he loves causing so much or the fact that he was ensuring Ichigo's safety.

He groaned into his pillow, digging his face in deeper. His fingernails were restlessly scratching the floor from desperation. It was like that man who smelled of piss and wine he had fought two nights ago.

The homeless man had been jumpy with a desperate, crazed look in his eyes. It was clear that he had not had anything to drink in some time enough for him to have sobered up. Maybe that was what was happening to him.

What did they call it? Oh yeah, withdrawal.

He was withdrawing from mindless murder and mass destruction. What a sad way to go, death by conscience. Stupid brain.

He had tried to go back to his old ways, he really did. But every time he started beating up the human he had picked as his victim, Ichigo's face would continue to pop up and he'd soon give up. Black eyes and some broken bones were the only things he had inflicted on his victims. No torture, no over-the-top bloodshed and most definitely no kills.

He was disappointed at himself.

"I've gone soft," his growled confession only heard by his new friend the cushion. "I'm ruined."

He did not notice how fast the time went by until he felt a cold breeze on his back. The sun was well on his way to settling down for the night as darkness replaced him with its companion the moon.

What a waste of good sunlight that had been. He had not even enjoyed it one bit in blissful sleep.

He was at a loss on what to do next. Usually Nel would be the one moving him around looking for food or the "enemy" or as he likes to call "the arrancar that were still mentally healthy enough to want Ichigo's head on a platter".

He wasn't sure when she'll be back but since it would be embarrassingly enough to die of sleep deprivation he was not about to add starvation to it. The food left from their earlier meal was no more than a few crumbs, definitely not enough to satisfy him.

He collected the hard pizza crusts and made his way outside the building throwing them in a nearby trashcan… or what used to be the homeless man's "home" before Grimmjow decided to evict him.

He looked up and down the streets; the buildings that surrounded his were just as depilated and ready to fall down at any moment as the one housing them.. No one except criminals and people of questionable hygiene ever came to the zone.

He hoped his cushion and small possessions he and Nel had acquired in this past week would be safe from thieves for the moment. His growling stomach reminded him of the hour and so he set out at a relatively slow pace with his hands firmly tucked inside his jean pockets, shivering slightly from the cool breeze.

Hey, just 'cuz he's badass didn't mean he was immune to the cold.

It was fully dark out when he arrived at a more commercial friendly area. The different smells coming from the restaurants were making his mouth water; he had some money left that his victims had so kindly given to him as exchange for a no-kill pass. Obviously that hadn't worked out for them so good.

Well, maybe a little since he hadn't actually killed them anyway thanks to Ichigo's ever present face in his mind.

"No! Stop thinking about him!" He said out loud, rubbing his hair in an attempt to rub him out of his head. The people walking near him, which were freaked out enough about his blue hair and tough-guy clothes, began to give him an even wider berth.

He began to walk faster going in the direction of a ramen shop when he bumped into someone. He turned around ready to cuss out the person when he stopped in his tracks, looking at his would-be victim.

Fuck. Just his luck.

How the hell is he supposed to get the ex-shinigami out of his damn head when he's got him right in front of him?

'Shit'

"I've been looking for you." The orange-haired teen said seriously.

'Double shit'

"Yuroichi told me Urahara had sold you a gigai." He continued when Grimmjow remained silent. "My friends said you were the one who saved me from the arrancar. Is it true?"

"Blind idiots can't tell blue from green and male from female." Grimmjow lied gritting his teeth.

"So it's not true." Ichigo tilted his head thoughtfully. "Then why didn't you attack me? It's clear to me you were there since you know what I was talking about."

"What would I gain from fighting your weak ass?" The bluenette sneered looking down on the ex-shinigami. His frustration and anger were intensifying now that he was in front of the bane of his existence.

"Shut up!" Ichigo bit back, "in that gigai I can kick your ass."

"You keep telling yourself that maybe one day you'll believe it." Grimmjow grinned turning his back on Ichigo and making his dignified exit from the conversation. His victory was short lasted as he heard Ichigo's footsteps behind him.

"What idiot goes looking for the person that tried to kill him not long ago?" He asked despite himself.

"My enemy was Aizen. I have no quarrel with you." Ichigo said speeding up his steps to walk besides him.

"I attacked you." Pantera's wielder stopped, facing the teen. The thoughts that had been swirling in his head for weeks were now finally pushing their way out of Jaggerjack's mouth.

"So? I attacked you too. The fight is over, the war is over." Ichigo stopped to turning towards him and trapping him with his intense brown eyes. "It was you who saved me wasn't it?"

"Why did you save me from Nnoitra's attack?" Grimmjow countered.

"Because you were on the ground, he had no right to do that when you couldn't defend yourself properly." Ichigo said fiercely. "Why did you help me?"

"I just wanted to kill the arrancar, you just happened to be there."

"Bullshit. Do you really expect me to believe that?" Ichigo sighed as in defeat shaking his head. "This pettiness is getting us nowhere."

"Then leave me be." Grimmjow turned to the ramen shop that was now only a few feet from him.

"I just wanted to thank you." He heard softly behind him.

'Triple shit'

"You have to be the must insufferable enemy in the history of enemies." The blue-haired arrancar said tilting his head up to the sky where the stars and the moon shined softly.

He snapped his head back to his unwanted companion when he heard the latter's laughter.

"I just don't like holding grudges." Ichigo looked at the shop Grimmjow was heading to still smiling. "What do you say I buy you some ramen as thanks for saving me?"

"No thanks, I rather eat by myself."

"I don't plan on budging; I still have many questions left unanswered." Ichigo headed into the shop without looking back, knowing that Grimmjow had no choice but to follow him if he ever wanted to be free of his presence.

'Death by starvation doesn't sound so bad now.'

Grimmjow entered the shop, following the mop of orange hair.

Meanwhile in Soul Society:

Renji drank his tea thoughtfully as he stared at the man in front of him.

His Captain had been looking a bit less than his usual perfectly-composed self recently. In fact, he had been looking a bit sad ever since the news of Captain Zaraki's (mind-blowing) relationship with Captain Kurotsuchi had come to light.

Renji really couldn't see why his Captain would look sad; he expected disgust, contempt, and trauma from mental pictures of the two of them together in bed (he knew he had a few).

Another thing was the clear evasion of Zaraki towards Byakuya. Usually his ex-Captain would be pestering Kuchiki for a fight, taunting him. Now though, only a nodded salute was all he gave to the nobleman.

Something smelled rotten, and he was going to get to the bottom of it.

"Say taicho…" Renji said slowly trying to fish out a conversation. "Why did the Soutaicho held a meeting today so suddenly?"

"Something has happened in Karakura that needs our attention." Kuchiki Byakuya said with a monotone voice. He placed down his cup of tea and looked out the window.

There it was again! The sad look.

"What happened there? Is Ichigo okay?" Renji asked, hoping for his friend's wellbeing.

"Yes, but the safety status of the city has changed." The nobleman said looking directly at his Lieutenant and his endless pile of unfinished paperwork. "Arrancars have begun entering the city; one of them tried to attack Kurosaki Ichigo but failed."

"Failed? But Ichigo can't defend himself." The red head wondered.

"It was not him who defeated the arrancar. It was another arrancar, one you are familiar with." The Sixth Division Captain rose from his seat setting the last of his paperwork down. "The Soutaicho doesn't know what to make of all this so he's sending one of us to assess the situation."

"Who? Hitsugaya-taicho? He's always sending him." Renji asked hoping he could join the mission. Anything other than paperwork sounded like music to his ears, not to mention it would give him an excuse to see how his friends were doing.

"This time, I volunteered to go." He paused looking out the window again, and said before his Lieutenant could speak. "Yes you can come."

"Yes!" The red-head smiled putting down his brush and stretching out his arms and back, groaning in pleasure when they cracked back into place. "When will we be leaving?"

"Tomorrow at midday. However, we will be keeping our presence secret unless it is absolutely necessary to contact Kurosaki or his gang." With that the Captain made his graceful way out the door and towards his home.

Renji could jump for joy, not only was he skipping out on work but he would have the Captain all by himself to find out what's wrong with him.

And did he mention no paperwork!

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><p>That's it my dear readers, did you enjoy it? Did you not? Do you hate me 'cuz I took so long to update? It's alright you can tell me by writing down a review. I promise not to take so long next time.<p>

Oh, and if you're reading my other story I'm updating that one tomorrow after I comb it thoroughly for errors.


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